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Lindsay Gray's novel way of supporting JR with hula hoop

BORN 12 weeks premature in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Lindsay Gray’s lung collapsed three times and staff had to be on hand for round-the-clock care.

But now the fit and healthy 28-year-old is hula hooping the OX5 run at Blenheim Palace to raise money for the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Miss Gray weighed just 1lb 13oz when she was born and her mum Rosemary Gray was too afraid to carry her.

She said: “Mum didn’t hold me for the first two weeks. She was just too scared I wouldn’t survive.

“She didn’t want to get attached so she didn’t hold me. The nurses didn’t like the idea because they said it was best to bond but she was too worried.

“Being that premature I had lots of different problems. My lungs collapsed a few times and I had fluid on my brain.

“So if it wasn’t for the hospital I might not have survived. I obviously don’t remember it but I was there for about two months. I was very lucky.”

Miss Gray, who lives in Bracknell, said she should have been born in a Reading hospital but only the John Radcliffe had the specialist care and facilities she needed.

The accountant said: “Doing the OX5 for the Oxford Children’s Hospital is quite a personal thing. I hope I can raise some money for it.

“The hula hooping is just a bit of fun. I do it for fitness and have hula hooped a couple of charity events before so I thought, ‘why not?’ It’s a great cause.”

Miss Gray and her friend Amanda Davy, 34, will be hula hooping the five-mile course at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock.

The OX5 run, which is organised by the Oxford Mail and sponsored by Oxford-based recruitment firm Allen Associates, raised £60,000 for the Oxford Children’s Hospital last year.

Children’s hospital spokesman Sarah Vaccari said: “The OX5 run is a really fun event for everyone taking part, and having Lindsay there hula hooping her way round the five miles will certainly add to the atmosphere. It’s fantastic that Lindsay wants to go to such lengths to support the hospital charity, especially knowing that she received so much help at the John Radcliffe as a newborn.”

To enter the race, call 01865 743444 or go to oxfordmail.co.uk/news/ox5run

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